5 Genius Kitchen Island Ideas for Your Kitchen Remodel

The kitchen island is the single most versatile installment in your kitchen. Your layout may naturally place your wall-side countertops but the island is yours to design.

You can have a roll-away island or a countertop fortress. You can wire up your island for appliances or even put a sink or stove in the island for entertainer cooking. But have you really thought about your island potential? Because we have.

There are some really cool things that homeowners today have done with their islands and some are downright genius. Today, we're sharing five of our favorite genius kitchen island ideas that can really add personality and function to your next kitchen remodel. Let's dive right in!

1) The Racetrack Center Island

Do you have a rowdy and rambunctious family? Do you have kids and dogs and relatives that are constantly running through your kitchen or bouncing around waiting eagerly for snacks? The racetrack island might be your dream kitchen upgrade.

Place an island right in the middle of your kitchen, parallel kitchen or u-shaped especially, and make sure there are three to four feet of walking space all the way around. Then turn it into a racetrack. Challenge your kids to do laps and give yourself the freedom to work all the way around your island when the coast (pardon the pun) is clear.    

2) The Hibachi Entertainer Island

Love entertainer cooking? Don't stop at just making a space for barstools on the other side of your island. make it your cooktop! Installing a stove and/or sink into your island is the perfect entertainer kitchen design.

For many, the ideal upgrade is a smooth hibachi (or griddle) stove where you can cook just about anything on the broad, sectioned heating surface. If you love to cook for an audience, big or small, an island-mounted stove might be your dream.

3) The Secret StairsIsland

Secret stairs and hidden doors are cool wherever they are found. But by far, the coolest hidden staircase we've ever seen was hidden in the kitchen island. Swing open the false cabinet to reveal a secret basement entrance.

Don't have a staircase or basement? We also love kitchen islands that have a hidden pet bed and feeding station inside so your favorite companion can stay close but not underfoot while you cook.

4) The Expanding Holiday Island

Your home kitchen usually has two modes: normal home cooking and the Holiday Dinner Mode. When you've got three courses to cook and a giant bird to roast, it really helps if your kitchen can handle the mess. Try designing an expanding Transformer kitchen that can fold out spice racks and extra prep spaces from an otherwise tidy layout.

Extra countertops and cutting boards can slide out from just under the countertop slab. Storage can fold out of your cabinets and drawers for easy access. You can also slip in a sideboard or a warming oven in the dining area to really show off the next time you host the family holiday.

5) The Walkthrough Island

Your island doesn't even have to be all one piece. Especially if sometimes you could use the flow-through. Instead, try two columns of cabinetry with a hinged countertop section in between. This is a great opportunity for a strip of butcher block between the beautiful stone slabs and creates an extremely handy passthrough your island when your kitchen grows crowded. This type of installation can also make it easier to design an adjustable surface for handicapped chefs in the house.

Planning to remodel your kitchen or just reimagine your kitchen island this year? Contact us today to get the ball rolling on your renovation plans!